Sunny Day Real Estate, Jets to Brazil, Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins, Minor Threat, The Assistant, Modest Mouse, The Cure, Elliot, Lifetime, Bruce Springsteen, Braid, Pedro the Lion, Penfold, Buffalo Tom, Metallica, Mogwai, Wilco, Etc...
Its been six years since us four members of Outsmarting Simon first met at various basement shows, physics lectures, and college-guy parties in New Brunswick, NJ. Six years since, with no real ambition in sight, we started writing songs and playing shows and buying vans that would eventually take us to a lot of places I never really expected to end up. We each listened to a whole lot of everything from indie rock to hardcore to the boss, so we tried to make music that somehow fell in between all that.
After a year of touring on a demo, we took our first shot at legitimacy in the spring of 2002 when we recorded and released Silent Sober and Sound. PJ put the record out under the Maroon Set label, and we were thrilled to have something to show our grandkids. As our shameless internet self-promotion hit full swing, we were contacted by a lovely gentleman from brooklyn. After fourteen pages of legal jargon that I still haven't read and a piece of lamb that i still get made fun of for, SSS was re-released by Triple Crown Records in august of 2003. With college degrees and a shiny redesigned record in hand, we set out to every bar, basement, and occasional legit rock club we could get ourselves in to.
A couple hundred shows and three vans later, and with the love and support of Triple Crown, we figured it was time to make another record. So we spent four weeks in three studios with our new best friend Mike Poorman, who somehow put up with sixteen hour work days, a season of 24, and the one guy who kept drinking too much. April 2005 saw the release of Stand Up Straight, our second shot at legitimacy.
Once again we did what we did best and got back in our van. We made it up and down the east coast about a million times, had a marathon trip to the west coast, and even spent a couple days in Canada enjoying potent beer and exotic flavored potato chips. We enjoyed an awkward energy drink fueled afternoon at the Warped Tour in Massachusetts, and played the Stone Pony as part of the infamous Bamboozle fest in Asbury Park. We played a couple shows with a couple bands that are now getting famous, and a lot of shows with a lot of bands that probably should be. All in all we had some good times with some really good bands.
So now its 2006. We've all spent the better part of the last month or so sleeping in our own beds and spending more than $2 a day on food. A year of untapped ideas are coming forward as we begin writing for what will be our third full length. We're still listening to a whole lot of everything, and we still have no idea what this will sound like when it eventually sees the light of day. So please keep in touch for new songs and demos, and come hang out when we're in your town. Yeah we're getting old, but hey we're still having fun, so we're gonna keep doing this as long as we can.
just wanted you guys to know that i still listen to your records all the time. I have been traveling alot lately, and always come back to your music, among others. last summer, I was wandering around venice, lost in the labyrinthine streets, with OS on my headphones. I miss the old days, they just don't make local bands like they used to...
okay. please come to SC.
i will round up gas money from all the old Ladson kids, and we'll pay you for it. i can't even imagine how amazing it would be.
woah you guys are amazing i remember a couple years back at the house of blues in chicago i went to a riddlin kids show and people were giving out their triple crown record cd.. outside of the house of blues. i remember taking it home and my favorite band that played through that whole cd was outsmarting simon.. sooo yeah... just thought you would like to know that you were remembered and awesome. thanks for the add.
p.s.~ when are you coming back to chicago?
you guys should play a show.
just one.
so myself and a friend can see you guys, really soon.
because as amazing as blasting and singing along in the car is...seeing you live would make my LIFE :)